This invention relates to structures for the dissipation of heat generated by integrated circuits mounted on integrated lead head suspensions.
Head suspensions are well known and commonly used within dynamic magnetic or optical information storage devices or drives with rigid disks. The head suspension is a component within the disk drive that positions a magnetic or optical read/write head over a desired position on the storage media where information is to be retrieved (read) or transferred (written). Head suspensions for use in rigid disk drives typically include a load beam that generates a spring force and that supports a flexure to which a head slider having a read/write head is to be mounted. Head suspensions are normally combined with an actuator arm or E-block to which a mounting region of the load beam is mounted with a base plate so as to position (by linear or rotary movement) the head suspension, and thus the head slider and read/write head, with respect to data tracks of the rigid disk. The rigid disk within a disk drive rapidly spins about an axis, and the head slider is aerodynamically designed to xe2x80x9cflyxe2x80x9d on an air bearing generated by the spinning disk.
Control of the read/write head of a head suspension is typically handled by electronic circuitry within the disk drive. However, the use of electronic components, such as an integrated circuit chip (IC chip), for signal amplification or other purposes closer to the read/write head is also sometimes desired. In order to shorten the lead length between the read/write head and the IC chip, it has become well know to mount the IC chip on a tail in close proximity to the head suspension or even directly onto the head suspension. However, because of the close proximity of the IC chip to the head suspension, heat generated by the chip can cause problems with the structure and performance of the suspension, as well as the IC chip.
A number of methods and/or structures for dissipating heat from an IC chip, or compensating for differences in thermal expansion between the chip and the suspension, have been tried. These include the use of heat sinks or fins mounted to the IC chip or to the suspension opposite the IC chip, the use of heat dissipating metal tape leads, and the mounting of the IC chip in an opening formed within the suspension with minimal connection between the two. Mounting of the IC chip on the side of the suspension toward the disk also is known to increase heat dissipation because of the increased air flow over and around the chip during operation of the disk drive. Each of these methods and/or structures has its benefits and drawbacks. Thus, an ongoing need exists for improvements in heat dissipation for IC chips mounted on head suspensions.
The present invention is a head suspension or head suspension component that includes a spring metal support layer, an insulating layer and the conductive layer, having three dimensional heat dissipation structures that are integrally formed within the conductive layer. The head suspension or head suspension component also includes conductive traces formed within the conductive layer onto which an integrated circuit is mounted. The heat dissipation structures may be configured as heat fins having side walls separated by valleys formed within at least one of the conductive traces. The heat dissipation structures may be located in the traces adjacent the integrated circuit. In addition, heat dissipation structures may also be formed integrally within the support layer adjacent the conductive heat dissipation structures and/or the integrated circuit. Use of a partial etching technique allows for simultaneous etching of both the traces and the heat fins within the traces, thereby decreasing production costs and increasing head suspension reliability.